Annunciator



H. ROBINSON.

ANNUNCIATOR.

I I APPLICATION FILED IUD/1811921. 1,406,899. a ented Feb.14, 1922.

1 2 SHEETS-SHEET /4 Homer fiobmson INVENTOR WITNESS:

H. ROBINSON.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1921.

1 ,4;O6,899, Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESS: ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER- ROBINSON,

OF LOBAIN, OHIO.

ANNUNCIATOR.

Application filed July 18,

T0 allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Lorain, in the county of Lorain and tate of Ohio, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Annunciators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to annunciators, and comprehends the provision of a mechanism designed for association with a clock or other time piece, whereby the hours or fractions thereof are called out, the mechanism being adjustable so that it can be set to begin its operation at any particular time so desired.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the invention residing in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this ap plication, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the device forming the subject matter of the invention, showing the normal position of the parts.

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the active position of the parts.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2 Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 indicates a pair of spaced parallel standard, between which the record cylinder 11 is journaled, the reproducer being indicated at 12 and supported by the upright 13 which is associated with the bar 14 upon which it is slidably mounted. The reproducer 12 is normally spaced from the record cylin- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 485,732.

upon this shaft is one of the gears of the clock mechanism, this gear being indicated at 20 and utilized to rotate the wheel 18 by the pawl and ratchet mechanism indicated at 21. Carried by the periphery of the wheel 18 is a projection 22 arranged to pass beneath a roller 23 supported upon the section 24 of an adjustable rod, the latter including the section 25 which has a threaded extremity passed through an opening in the offset extremity of the section 24 whereby the length of the rod may be regulated for a purpose to be presently described. A. nut is associated with the threaded end 26 of the section 25 to hold the sections fixed relatively when adjusted. The section 24 is slotted as at 29 so as to move with relation to the shaft 19 which shaft passes through the slot 29, while the section 24 also slides through a slotted guide 30 which is equipped with a roller 31. A wheel 32 is journaled as at 33, and the lower section 25 of said rod is connected with the wheel 32 in a manner illustrated so that when the rod above referred to is reciprocated, the wheel 32 is partly rotated in opposite directions. Projecting tangentially from the wheel 32 is an arm 34 which is terminally connected with the wheel 32, the opposite end of this arm being connected to the bar 14 through the instrumentality of a chain A similar chain 36 connects the arm at an appropriate point in its length with the bar 14, and both of these chains 35 and 36 are trained under suitable guide pulleys 37. The arm 34 passes through an opening in the central lever 17 above referred to and is equipped with an adjusting nut 38 which normally bears against the lever 17 as illustrated in Figure 1, holding the lever in its normal position against the influence of the spring 39 which has one end connected to the lever 17 and it's oppositeend connected to some fixed point.

lln practice. the wheel 18 makes one revolution every fifteen minutes, and when the projection 22 passes beneath the roller23, the rod including the sections 24 and 25 respectively is elevated. As the. section 25 is connected to the wheel 32 it partly rotates the latter in a clock-wise direction, thereby exerting a pull on the arm 34 which is connected to the bar 14 by chains 35 and 36. Consequently, the bar 14 is pulled downwardly against the tension of the springs 16 lowering the reproducer into contacting engagement with the record cylinder 11. It will be noted however, that the arm 3d passes through an opening in controlling lever 17 and said record, and when the wheel is adjusted in the manner just stated, the adjusting nut 38 is moved away from the lever 17, to permit the latter to be actuated under the influence of the spring 39. When the adjusting nut 38 reaches the point B indicated at Figure 1, the lever 17 has been adjusted and the record 11 started, although the reproducer 12 is not brought into contact with the record until the adjusting nut 38 reaches the point 0. Obviously, therecord is started before the reproducer is brought into contact with the record and the reproducer is also removed from the record before the latter ceases to rotate. After the projection 22 passes beyond the roller 23, the springs 16 functions to automatically return the movable parts of the. mechanism to their normal positions. The adjustment between the sections 24 and 25 of said 'rod provides for the proper timing of the mechanism as will be readily understood.

Arranged beneath the record 11 and sup ported by the uprights 10 is a member 40 which is graduated for twelve hours and fifteen minute fractions thereof. By reason of this construction, the reproducer 12 can be readily set with the assistance of the up right 13 so that the mechanism may be automatically started at any predetermined hour or fraction thereof. When in operation, the particular hour or fraction thereof during which the projection 22 is passing beneath the roller 23 is announced.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description that the nature and advan tages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understoodthat I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a record cylinder, a reproducer normally spaced from said record, time controlling mechanism for moving the reproducer into operative association with said cylinder, and separating the same therefrom at predetermined intervals, and means for automatically starting and stopping said record just prior to movement of the reproducer into or out of engagement from said cylinder.

2. In combination,'a record cylinder, a reproducer normally spaced from said cylinder, time controlled mechanism for moving the reproducer into engagement with and out of engagement from said cylinder at predetermined intervals, and mechanism controlled by said means for automatically starting and stopping said cylinder just prior to engagement of the reproducer therewith or the removalof the reproducer therefrom.

3. In "combination, a record cylinder, a reproducer, yieldable means normally spacing the reproducer from the cylinder, time controlled means for moving said reproducer into operative association with the cylinder against the tension of said yieldable means at predetermined intervals, and means for automatically starting and stopping the cylinder, said means being controlled by the time actuated means 'for the purpose speci- 4:. In combination, a record cylinder, a reproducer, yieldable means normally spacing the reproducer from the cylinder, time controlled mechanism for moving said reproducer into operative association with said cylinder against the tension of said yieldable means at predetermined intervals and means controlled by the time actuated means for automatically starting and stopping the record at predetermined intervals and means whereby said reproducer may be set for operation for any particular hour or fraction thereof.

5. In combination, a record cylinder, a reproducer, yieldable means normally spacing the reproducer from said cylinder, a bar arranged beneath said record, a standardasso- HOMER ROBINSON. 

